REALLY ILLEGAL

Hokitika Guardian, 21 March 1931, Page 7

REALLY ILLEGAL

SALE OF BLACKBERRIES. Commenting on the statement rrom uunedin that local wholesale fruit auctioneers had received advice from the Agricultural Department that they were prohibited from selling blackberries on the ground that the blackberry was included in the list of noxious weeds, Mr Harvey Turner, managing director of Turners and Growers, Ltd., records the Auckland “Star”, said that there was a law against th e sale of blackberries, but it was not enforced in Auckland. Alio law was brought in many years ago, lie said, but the Government probably realise that birds are responsible more than people for spreading blackberry. “It would he a grave mistake jl the law wore enforced,” h e added, “because by being picked and made iiuo jam and preserved, the seeds are, killed. On the other hand, if the berries were left on the hushes the seeds wou'd he broadcast by birds,”

There were also a number of poor people ho said, who augumented their eagre earnings .by picking and selling blackberries in most centres of New Zealand. Such a step would derive them of a means of a comfortable living,

Mr L, Pnynter, inspector of orchards said that although the selling of blackberries was illegal it had never been necessary for him to enforce the law in Auckland. “There is no sense,” lie said, “in prohibiting their in a district where they are prevalent. On the other hand, I can quite realise that people living in a district free from blackberry would he anxious for their sale to he prohibited in the district.”